Beneath the Balcony
by Anonymonimus
Summary: In order to keep Bilbo from leaving for France with Smaug, Thorin decides to confess his love to the former in order to encourage him to stay. Thilbo


**So this is an AU and I'm thinking it takes place around the mid 1800s (I actually have no idea when it does that place lol, I haven't worked that out) but yeah, and the characters are also living in England (maybe London or something, that's not really important thought).**

**This story was also inspired by the balcony scene in Cyrano de Bergerac (to those who love romance and poetry, I highly recommend you go check out the play. It's possibly the best French play I've ever read - who knows if the poetry and emotion are still conveyed properly in the English version though).**

**Anyways, this is also a (sorta) prompt fill but I realised there were a lot of things I didn't include in the actual prompt so I guess the OP will decide whether she is satisfied or not xP Oh well.**

**Excuse any mistakes, btw, it's late and I don't understand how I'm still fonctionning regardless of the fact that I can't stare at the screen for too long before beginning to nod off lol**

**But here I am making excuses lol**

**ENJOY! Review and fav if you liked!**

* * *

"Uncle! Uncle!" Fili and Kili yelled as they barged into Thorin's room.

"What is it?" Thorin asked, closing the scroll he had been reading.

"We have some bad news!" Kili declared rapidly.

"What did you do?" Thorin retorted immediately, weary of what would be said.

"It's not us, Uncle!" Fili defended, "It's Bilbo!"

"What's wrong?" Thorin asked, suddenly more weary than he had previously been.

"There's a rumour going around that Smaug's planning on confessing his love to him!" Fili stated, horrified by the notion.

Thorin then relaxed, realizing that the declaration wasn't as bad as the boys' made it sound. "Is that it?"

"No!" Kili added, "When Smaug does confess, he's planning on taking Bilbo away with him to France!"

"There's no guarantee that Bilbo will reciprocate the feeling," Thorin stated, returning to his scroll, "There's no need to worry."

"Uncle!" Kili insisted, "Have you not noticed how the two have been becoming closer? You're so busy with your work that you barely have time for Bilbo anymore! Now he's spending most of his time with Smaug! It's horrible! You need to do something before he's taken away!"

"And what would you have me do?" Thorin growled, annoyed with his nephews' exaggerations.

"Why confess your love for him first, of course!" Fili stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Thorin blushed immediately at the thought and frowned deeply, "Leave." He ordered dryly, "I should never have told you about that."

"We're not mocking you, uncle!" Kili said.

"I highly doubt that." Thorin hissed.

"It's true!" Fili insisted, "We think that, if you confess to him, he'll stay with us and won't leave with Smaug! You don't want him to leave, do you?"

"Of course I don't," Thorin answered with a sigh, "But what makes you think he'll feel the same way about me? What makes you think he'll love me? If you haven't noticed, I've not always been the kindest to him."

"Well you're on good terms now, aren't you?" Fili asked.

"Besides," Kili said, "You have a natural talent with words. If you speak to him the way you used to with us when you tried to inspire, encourage or comfort us, I'm sure you'll sway him."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Thorin stated bitterly, denying the insinuated title of 'poet'.

"Yes you do!" Fili exclaimed, "Don't be such a coward! And let's say he doesn't reciprocate your feelings, wouldn't that just free you? You wouldn't have to wonder whether he loves you or not anymore and you could move on."

"That hardly helps." Thorin stated bluntly.

"Come on, uncle!" Kili whined, "It's not like he loves you anyways, at the moment! So by being all poetic and mushy, you'll either win him or your relationship just won't develop. You've literally got nothing to lose."

"The both of you need to learn a lot about encouraging others." Thorin remarked, mildly hurt by his nephews' words.

"Uncle! Please just do it!" They both begged in unison.

"If you're scared of seeing his reaction or something, you can always hide beneath his balcony at night and then tell him how much you love him." Fili suggested, "He wouldn't see you, you could then seduce him with your words and then reveal yourself to him after. I don't think Bilbo is shallow so I doubt he'll be repelled when he sees you."

"Please uncle!" Kili added, "We don't want Bilbo to leave and we know you feel the same way. If this is the only way for him to stay even if the chances of success were low, wouldn't you just do it?"

* * *

And so, somehow, Thorin found himself in Bilbo's yard, at night. He loathed the fact that his nephews had actually managed to convince him to admit to his love for Bilbo. Though, perhaps the knowledge that Smaug could potentially take Bilbo away from him had a certain play in the outcome of the situation. Smaug, that snake, had already taken many things from him such as his honour, most of his gold and his good name, but Bilbo was something he was hardly willing to part with easily. And yet, he didn't know what he would do if leaving with Smaug was something Bilbo wanted to do. He always put the latter's happiness before his and merely concentrated on putting a smile on his face, thus if Smaug was what he wanted, shouldn't he let him go?

He shook his head and gathered some pebbles lying around in the grass. There was only one way to figure out what Bilbo wanted and that was to ask him. Gathering his courage, he threw the first one at the windowed door leading to balcony and waited a short moment before throwing the second one. He could then hear shuffling coming from Bilbo's room and when he heard the creaking of the knob turning, he quickly jumped beneath the balcony as to avoid being seen. He cursed at himself for being such a coward but, nonetheless, remained hidden.

"Hello?" Bilbo called, "Is any body there?"

"Y-yes." Thorin choked, his voice cracking from nervousness, "I'm here."

"I can't see you." Bilbo stated, leaning over the railing and peering into the darkness with the hope of spotting the one who had awoken him.

"I would rather it remain that way..." Thorin mumbled.

"Why?"

"I-I wish to convey my love to you, but how should I go about the task?" Thorin mused aloud from beneath the balcony, "My heart can barely contain all this anxiousness I have in regards to divulging these emotions, these feelings that I've kept buried from the public eye and, mainly, from you. For fear of being mocked, thought of as weak, I've kept this poetic side a secret and it is only in this darkness, hidden from your eyes, that I dare speak to you for the first time."

"Speak to me for the first time?" Bilbo repeated thoughtfully, "I doubt that, your voice seems very familiar...We've met before, haven't we?"

"Though I would rather not answer for fear of being recognized, I am unable to lie to you or keep much of the truth from you. We have met before and we have engaged in conversation multiple times." Thorin admitted, his heart ramming against his rib cage.

"Then perhaps I've called you friend?" Bilbo wondered, "Nonetheless, I usher you to reveal yourself. Come. Leave your hiding spot and allow me to behold you."

"I'm afraid that, as much as I would want to," Thorin said with a sad smile, "I am unable to do so. If I were to show myself, I would shrink beneath your gaze and lose my true self to this fake self I've created. Please, allow me to stay where I am and voice the thoughts and feelings I so desperately wish to make known."

"Alright..." Bilbo agreed to reluctantly.

"Thank you." There was a pause before Thorin laughed and continued, "Now that I'm given permission, I hardly know where to start. How do I convey my love for you? I love you, I'm crazy and I can't stand it. Your name is imprinted on my heart, my soul and my mind, never to be forgotten. Whenever spoken, I shiver and I remember everything there is to know about you. I remember everything I love about you."

"You sound love sick." Bilbo chuckled.

"Love sick?" Thorin repeated and smiled, "An adequate term perhaps. These feelings, they do invade me and though they are pleasant, they sometimes bring about a detestable nature within myself. Whenever I see you with another, I can not describe the darkness of my jealousy. Such notion saddens me, how could love bring about something so dark and malevolent? And yet, though I detest this part of me and know it to be wrong, I can not help but want to keep you all to myself. But fear not, I will never take you from society and lock you within a tower so as to keep you from gracing the world with your blessed presence. You're so beautiful and your smile, so radiant, surely it does help the world grow and prosper. I dare muse that it is because of you that goodness still remains in a world as corrupted as this one. Without you, everything would doubtlessly wilt and die and my heart would shatter. Nonetheless, in all honesty, I could care less about the world's state of being for it is you that I love and it is your happiness that preoccupies me the most. And I know that, without a doubt, I would sacrifice my everything if it meant to stretch your lips into the smallest of smiles. I would sell away my joy for yours; of course, I would never tell you that I have done so for fear of upsetting you. Knowing just how kind and graceful you truly are, you would surely be distraught if such a sacred thing would be given away, even by a wretch like me. But know that, if my sacrifice would draw the slightest laugh from you, that I would know it would have been worth it. Do you begin to understand now? Do you begin to understand what you mean to me? Every time your eyes lay upon me, it is a grace bestowed onto me and it inspires goodness within my soul."

Bilbo was now very quiet, "Do you think...you could show me your face?" he asked slowly.

"I'm afraid I still do not dare to do so." Thorin declined softly.

"Please." Bilbo begged, "My heart yearns for a glimpse of you."

"And though the feeling is so familiar to me," Thorin said, "I find myself unable to do so. Forgive my cowardice, it is what makes me unworthy of you."

"No, no," Bilbo desperately tried to reassure, "Your words have swayed me, they have. Your soul has climbed onto my balcony and touched me. You say we know each other, that we have spoken before, and I wish to recognize you so that I may love you properly."

"Your words bring about great happiness within myself," Thorin admitted, unable to rid himself of a smile, "But I still fear that you will change your mind upon seeing me. I dare not reveal myself."

"I do not love based off the appearance." Bilbo frowned, "I know that a beautiful person isn't necessarily kind. However, a kind person is always beautiful in my eyes. No matter how hideous you think you look, to me, you will be the most dashing prince to have ever existed. Please, show me your face and let me love you."

"...I dare not..." Thorin muttered after a moment of baffled silence.

"Fine then! Suit yourself!" Bilbo huffed and decided he would take matters into his own hands, "If you do not wish to come to me, I will go to you!"

"No! Please, I-"

But no matter what Thorin said, it was ignored by Bilbo who climbed down the vines attached to his balcony. And though Thorin had contemplated running away as to avoid having to confront the object of his affection, the hard, military self he had created for public image wouldn't allow him to do. Thus, with his heart beating at an incredible rate, he stayed in place and watched as Bilbo appeared before him. When their eyes locked, there was a moment of silence and Thorin barely found the courage to breathe.

"Thorin?" Bilbo asked, and the tone he used hurt Thorin's heart deeply.

"I'm sorry..." Thorin mumbled, dropping his head, "I should have kept these feelings to myself..."

He was shocked when a small hand reached for his cheek and guided his gaze to Bilbo. "I'm glad you decided to act selfishly for once." Bilbo smiled graciously, "You're always acting in the best interest of others which is something I really admire and loath. For a long time now, the only thing I really ever wished for was for you to act selfishly once and please yourself. I'm incredibly happy that my wish has come true and that this, your confession, has been the one selfishness you've granted yourself."

"Would it anger you if I told you this wasn't a selfish act?" Thorin asked with an innocent smile.

"It would." Bilbo stated, his smile dropping.

"I've only confessed because Fili and Kili feared that you would be taken away by Smaug to France." Thorin explained, "They wanted you to stay and, knowing about my feelings for you, they were convinced that if I were to convey them, you wouldn't leave."

"Well, I guess there's some selfishness present in that statement." Bilbo chuckled, "I doubt you wanted Smaug to take me away or else you wouldn't have confessed."

"Nonetheless," Thorin said, indirectly confirming Bilbo's suspicion, "Could we not count it as the act of selfishness that would conclude your wish?"

Bilbo's smile widened, "Sure. As long as you do act selfishly once."

"I will." Thorin promised, and not a second after, he pressed his lips upon Bilbo's. They kissed sweetly for a short moment that seemed to have lasted an eternity before breaking apart, "And I have."

"Admittedly, this makes me happier than your confession." Bilbo muttered grinning widely as a dark blush spread across his face.

"Then will you stay with us?" Thorin asked. "Will you stay with me?"

"I will." Bilbo answered taking Thorin's hand, "And I would have even if Smaug would have asked me to leave with him. The love I hold for him does not even begin to rival the love I hold for you."

"I'm glad," Thorin smiled bashfully, "Then...will you permit me more acts of selfishness?"

"Please do." Bilbo encouraged.

And so, beneath his balcony, they kissed passionately for some time knowing that it was the beginning of something beautiful and unbreakable.

* * *

**BTW, Smaug's actually human, he's not a dragon lol. Just in case some people thought the contrary xDD**


End file.
